Evolution of IS Competencies due to Mandatory Telework on Organizational scale – A Work-Systems Approach

Abstract

Given the recent pandemic crisis, telework has become a mandatory practice for organizations across the world. Mandatory large scale implementations of telework are an abrupt technological shift in organizations which presents a unique set of challenges for organizational competencies. In this research initiative, we derive from the work systems framework to analyze the consequences of telework shift on organizational competencies from a resource-based view. Many organizations are inexperienced and unprepared to implement telework on an organizational scale. We analyze how organizations have been affected by these large scale implementations of mandatory telework and how the competencies of these organizations have been affected. Content and thematic analysis of several interviews of managers across organizations supervising teleworking teams have been done to provide insights into how IS competencies have been affected by this shift.